Friday Favorites

I get a lot of questions about my favorite this or that, so I thought I'd give you a list of some of my favorites as of late. 

Snacks:
- Oh Boy Oh Berto Natural Teriyaki Turkey Jerky. I get the double pack of this from Costco because it is a smoking deal, and it helps me to be sure I get some protein in me even when I am really low on time. 
- Emerald Cocoa Roasted Almonds. I LOVE these. LOVE . LOVE. LOVE. I love almonds anyways, but these have a little sweetness to them, and they can come to the rescue for chocolate cravings. 
- Baby Carrots. I go through phases with these. I try not to overdose on the carrots because they are a little higher in sugars and carbohydrates, but they are another easy way to get some nutrients on the go.
- Pink Lady apples. Oh my delicious. If you want a crisp apple, these are AWESOME.
- String Cheese. Apparently I've been in a big hurry lately, because this is another portable snack I can grab and eat as I am running out the door. Easy and delicious.

Exercises:
- Kettle Bell Lunge Passes. You could do these with a single dumbbell as well.  Start standing with the kettle bell in your right hand. Step back into a reverse lunge with your right leg, pass the kettle bell underneath your left leg to your right hand, and return to standing. Repeat the same motion, stepping back with your left leg, and passing the kettle bell under your right leg to your right hand.
- Walking push up pyramid. Start standing. With legs as straight as possible bend over and put your hands on the ground. Walk out to a push up position. Do 10 push ups. Walk the hands back, and stand again. Repeat, and on the next round do 9 push ups, then 8, 7, etc. Stopping at 1.
- Burpees with a pushup. Sucky as they may be, they make for an awesome addition to any workout.
(Although my clients may disagree)

Athleticwear:
- Nike climacool half zip pullover. (As seen here) It has thumb holes. Who doesn't love thumb holes?

- Nike Free's (Sans Halloween socks)

- North Face Coat. This becomes a part of my winter uniform because it keeps me so warm! Best purchase ever. If you don't have a winter coat, you should probably consider this one.

 

This pic was taken tonight at the Riverwoods holiday lighting celebration. Christmas is upon us my friend, and I couldn't be happier. 

Songs:

- Jump, Rihanna. My neighbor just showed me this one, and it was insta-love. AMAZING. 

- The Lucky One, Taylor Swift. 

-  Die Young, Ke$ha. Maybe I should start spelling my last name with a dollar sign . $mith is way cooler than Smith. 

I hope your weekend is Amazing! TGIF!! 

Thanksgiving Preparation

It almost seems like Thanksgiving and Christmas have been rolled into one 5 week celebration. I don't hate it. So, this post technically could be titled Thanksgiving AND Christmas preparation. Either way you look at it, the holidays are charging at us, and so are all of the parties, dessert trays, neighborhood gifts, Costco samples, and seasonal goodies that come with it.

As you know, I LOVE all holidays. It is just in my blood. I get SO excited to decorate, celebrate, bake, and enjoy the festivities of the season with the people I love. I assume many of you feel the same way. With the holidays come a lot of fun and fabulous traditions. Many families have certain foods they love to eat, parties that they always attend, and outings that occurs each year. With these traditions come a lot of traditional holiday goodies, and often we find ourselves using the holidays as an excuse to go buckwild at the dessert table. Many people even decide to throw in the towel, and start saying things like..."I'll just start over for New Years." Oh if I had a dollar for every time I have heard that one. Let's make that ten dollars, I might as well make the big bucks.

While New Years is a fabulous time to refresh goals, and get revamped for progress that is coming ahead, why not keep making progress through the holiday season instead of setting yourself back. Here are a few ideas that may help keep you moving forward. For Christmas this year, you should give yourself some healthy progress or some weight loss!

1. Set guidelines now. Make some goals for yourself as to how you are going to plow through the holidays with ease. Maybe your goal will be to allow yourself one dessert a week, or you may even want to decide that you are not going to partake of all of the neighborhood goodies that come your way... GASP!?!?!?!...I know. I said progress...remember?

2. Make exercise a priority. As times get busy with holiday fun, or schedules become extremely full. With these full schedules we start shuffling things around, and quite often exercise seems to fall of the to do list. Don't let it! It may be a good idea to try to get your workout in first thing in the morning to make certain that you don't get to the end of the day and find that you are out of time.

3. Choose to keep your family and friends active. Add some new traditions to your family fun like skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, neighborhood Christmas light walks, and hiking to cut down your own Christmas tree. There are more holiday traditions than the ones that just involve eating. Weird, I know.

4. Stay in check. Make a schedule that allows you to visibly cross off your exercise, weigh yourself, track your food, or whatever else helps to keep you honest.

5. WATCH YOUR SNEAKY HANDS. I can't emphasize this one enough. Dessert trays, bags of treats, food preparation, and any other events with food can allow for forgetful hands. What do I mean by this? I mean that it is really easy to grab little handfuls, bites, and tastes here and there without even thinking about it. Be aware of what you are eating! Little bites (especially of decadent sweets) quickly add up.

Alright Holiday Season...Here we go. Let's DO THIS!! One wintery step at a time.

So much candy...so many calories...

Halloween is in the air. If you haven't already celebrated five times over, this sugary season is sure to hit you sooner or later. I know I have already done my share of celebrating.

Our Gatsby Halloween Party this past weekend was amazing...there are more pics where that came from I promise. :) 

I have a lot of my clients tell me some of the following obstacles that can thwart healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle during the holidays...
- Halloween is centered around candy. Hence; candy is everywhere.
- There are a million parties/functions/get togethers (all of which serve a million desserts.)
- Handing out candy to little trick or treaters means leftover candy, which means bite size pieces of candy for snacking.
- Halloween candy usually comes individually wrapped. One grab here, and one grab there doesn't seem like a big deal. (Unfortunately, all those "grabs" add up.)
- Fall food and treats are delicious. Pumpkin anythings just smells and tastes fantastic.

Now...I get it. I promise. Just because I choose not to eat candy and desserts, doesn't mean I don't understand the temptation and draw to deliciously decadent pumpkin flavored desserts and bite sized Snickers. Yum. BUT...I also know the benefit that you can receive from NOT gorging yourself on Halloween candy. Click HERE for some excellent Halloween help tips from years past.

As for this years tips, I'm going to keep it simple. Focus on your goals. Don't go crazy like a kid in Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory. When all is said and done and it is November 1st, chances are you won't remember what you did and didn't eat on Halloween. So...maybe you don't HAAAAVE to have that doughnut, cookie, candybar, handful of candy corn, and caramel apple...just saying.

Don't forget to enter this October's Mix Giveaway!

Feeding An Army & Crock Pot Chicken Chalupas

I mentioned yesterday how much I loved my trip to Lake Powell. I also mentioned that we had 40 people that I planned food for. Many people think that feeding a large group means immediately resulting to frozen pasta dishes and pizza, with lots of potato chips and packaged cookies. I get that those are easy options, and sometimes in big groups the easy option wins out. However, maybe the following tips can help you think in quantity AND quality.

1. Include a fruit tray or a veggie platter at EVERY meal. Even if your "veggie platter" is nothing more than a big bag of baby carrots and some hummus. If you don't want to cut up your veggies yourself, purchasing a tray at Costco or your local grocery store is really easy to do. We had a fruit tray or a veggies out for every single meal in Powell and they ALWAYS were scarfed up!

2. Use a crock pot. It is easier to cook for a crowd when you don't have to be a slave to the kitchen all day. One of the recipes that I make every year in the crock pot are chicken chalupas. This recipe makes a lot, but I doubled it. People then have the option to put this chicken over chips, in a tortilla, over salad, or on its own. It is SO tasty!

Crock Pot Chicken Chalupas

4 lbs. cooked cut up chicken

2 large onions diced

3-4 cloves of garlic

3 - 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

2 – 7 ounce cans diced green chilies

3 - 151/2 ounce cans pinto beans

2 cans black beans

1 1/2 Tablespoons oregano flakes

1 tablespoon cumin

Cook chicken in crock pot, add remaining ingredients (mix tomatoes, garlic and onions in food processer )

Mix together and cook in oven at 325 degrees in a large roster for 2-3 hours, or crock pot for 3-4 hours. Squeeze lime juice in before serving

I also served this with diced tomatoes, avocado, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, black bean salsa, and any other toppings you may want.  This stuff is SO GOOD, and it keeps really well too. 

3. Give "create your own" options. One of the hardest parts of feeding a large group is attempting to please everyone's tastes. For lunches I always have several different kinds of lunch meats, cheeses, wraps, bread, toppings, and even lettuce for lettuce wraps. It is amazing to me that people really do usually go for the healthier options. Even with the chalupas, people have the option to make salads if they wish to avoid all of the extra chips and tortillas. 

For one of the dinners I had everyone assemble their own pita pizzas. These are so easy, healthy, and portioned perfectly. These are great for kids as well because they love to get involved on making them! When kids are involved in the cooking and creating process they are far more likely to eat their food! 

4. Have a good mix of healthy and not so healthy snacks and treats. You may want to eat perfectly healthy, but that doesn't always mean everyone else does as well. Moderation is a good thing, and having a good mix of healthy treats with some others sweets is OK. Once again, if you provide the healthy options, you may be surprised at how people devour them. Along with whatever treats you may have, include nuts, pieces of fruit, fruit leathers, jerky, etc. Not all snacks on vacation need to be covered in sugar and processed to the nines.

Feeding a group can be healthy, and may just require a little creativity. Include as many fruits and vegetables as you can! Keep it simple, keep it healthy, and you will have a happy crowd!

A Healthy New Snack: Boom Chicka Pop!

Everyone is always asking me for healthy snack ideas. So, when I find one I always feel obligated to share. I raved about a product that I love called Skinny Pop a while back. I am definitely still a huge fan, but unfortunately it can be hard to find sometimes. Our local Sprouts (which was previously Sunflower Market) now carries it, which is awesome. However, in the meantime I always had my eye out for a similar product. Well, guess what? I found one. AND, the best part...it is available at Target, which is much more accessible for those who don't have any sort of specialty health food stores around them. Presenting...Boom Chicka Pop.

 It is all natural, and the ingredients consist of popcorn, sunflower oil, and sea salt. Simple. Fabulous.

And the name is fun to say, right? We gave my little nephew the bag to grab some handfuls and we had to take it from him before he ate the whole thing. He LOVED it. It is so light and tasty, and has just enough flavor to keep you wanting more. I like it every bit as much as the Skinny Pop! It is a GREAT snack options! Try it out!

Product Review: Paleo People Grain Free Granola

As you know I am always on the lookout for new healthy and delicious products. New products that are Paleo approved make me even happier! So, you can surely imagine that I was thoroughly STOKED when Laura from Paleo People sent me some of their grain free granola to try. 

Doesn't that look amazing? The Paleo People site they give a great description of what they have to offer...
"We create "Paleo Style" Granolas, meaning recipes designed with our cave dweller ancestors in mind. Our paleo snack products are created using ingredients like nuts, seeds, berries, fruits, spices & natural sweeteners - the types of foods found and gathered by our ancestors!  

Our paleo snacks are all natural, wheat & gluten free so for celiacs & vegetarians who are searching, our snacks are quite a discovery." 

 This combination of nuts, seeds, fruit, and berries make up this super tasty grain-free granola. My favorite flavor is the banana nut crunch. 

 I, of course, just dug in without wasting anytime. This tasty granola is perfectly delicious on its own.

 But I am also excited to try mixing it in with some greek yogurt. and I'd also love to try sprinkling it over a salad. So So SO tasty! I love that it is Paleo approved, but I'm pretty sure anyone and everyone will find it absolutely delicious.

The good news is that you can try this deliciousness from Paleo People at a discount! With the promo code munchercruncher you can get a %10 discount on all flavors. Awesome, right? Click HERE to visit their website.

This healthy, delicious, grain free granola is absolutely delicious. My only warning is to be sure that you order enough because it will go quickly!

Bananarama! Snack time!

A lot of people have asked me what I eat as far as snacks are concerned with my paleo eating. Here is a list of some of my favorites...
- frozen banana chunks (they are like lil' popsicles to me)

So simple. So tasty. 

- Natural turkey jerky from Costco
- Almonds (My favorites are raw almonds, and the cocoa roasted almonds)
- Produce (baby carrots, berries, apples, cherries, cherry tomatoes, all other veggies)

Sorry for the blurry photo...but this is a pic of the beautiful tomatoes a client brought me yesterday from her garden. Garden tomatoes = heaven. I drizzled a little balsalmic on them and was happy as can be! 

- Larabars

- Roasted Veggies (I know I already said veggies, but I usually make a huge batch of THESE roasted veggies and eat them all week.) 

- Rotisserie Chicken 

-Eggs 

Pretty simple. My meals and my snacks are all kind of the same it seems. I am a total snacker by nature, so it is always important for me to be prepared. I used to be a reach the hand in the cereal box/dip my finger in the jar of PB kind of girl, but that is no longer the case. The biggest thing for me is having fresh produce on hand, so I always have a good option to go to if I need a snack! Don't forget that snacking calories count too, and a LOT of people think they are eating healthy, but fail to remember the excess four or five hundred calories that have crept in their day by way of extra handfulls here and there. 

What is your favorite go-to healthy snack? Have you ever tried frozen bananas? You should...they are sooooo good! 

Product Review: New York Naturals Kale Chips

I have wanted to try making Kale Chips forEVER. I have had so many people tell me that they are a great snack alternative, and they are jam packed full of a bazillion nutrients. Well, do you know what is better than having to make Kale Chips yourself? Having an awesome company like New York Naturals send you some.

 

These kale chips are seriously tasty. They are definitely VERY flavorful. The flavors they sent me were Bombay Ranch, Spicy Miso, Sea Salt, and Vegan Cheese. 

 My favorite flavors were the Bombay Ranch and the Sea Salt, but they were all delicious.

 Each of these delightful little chips is dried and seasoned with all natural ingredients. The nutritional facts are fabulous as well. New York Naturals uses nutritional yeast, which gives an awesome flavor and adds some protein too!

These awesome kale chips are the perfect snack if you are looking to cut back on your carbohydrates, and you are still needing some healthy snacks. You'll love them!


Have you ever tried New York Naturals kale chips? Have you ever made your own kale chips? I have a feeling my version would be sub par after trying out these tasty delights!

Product Review: Skinny Pop

I have a LOT of people ask me about good snacks. One think I always suggest to my clients is air popped popcorn. It is light, filling, SO low calorie, and it takes some time/work to eat. The two things I don't like about air popped popcorn are
1) It makes your whole house smell like popcorn
2) the kernels (or grannies as my family calls them) I have no idea why.

The people from Skinny Pop sent me a giant box of their popcorn to try. I kid you not, this stuff is UNREAL. Now, I know some of you are trying to follow the Paleo way of eating that I have been following. This snack is not Paleo approved. However, I know that the majority of you aren't trying to eat that way, and I am looking out for you too!! I promise this stuff is going to change your life. It is SO SO SO SO SO good. Are you sensing my enthusiasm?
Skinny Pop takes air popped popcorn to the next level. It is simply popcorn, a little bit of sunflower oil, and sea salt. I'm telling you, it is BOMB. Oh...and it's already made for you with NO unpopped kernels which also means your house/office will not smell like popcorn for the next week.

I gave some to my mom, dad, sister, and roommate to try and they all loved it. Devoured may be a better word. My sister and I both said that we felt like we could take this to a movie and feel totally satisfied with our own popcorn, and not worry about missing out on the movie theater popcorn at all. You can have one cup for only 39 calories which is amazing. Just for a frame of reference...a large movie theater popcorn has around 1,200 calories and 60 grams of SATURATED fat. Gross.

The other great thing about this fabulous snack is you can use THIS finder tool on their website to find the store closest to you that carries Skinny Pop.When I was home in Arizona last week my mom and I used it, found her some, and stocked her up. If you like popcorn, you will love this stuff, and you will not feel one ounce bad about munching on it. TASTY!! 

Do you like popcorn? Have you tried Skinny Pop? Are you a movie theater popcorn eater?

Awwww...nuts! National Almond Day

Yesterday was national almond day, and I didn't get to post about it. I actually planned on posting about it, but didn't have the time. SO...I'm celebrating yesterday, today. You follow?

I'm going to start by telling you a little story...Once upon a time I hated nuts in almost all forms. I say almost because I did like the little bags of peanuts I got on the airplane. That was about where I drew the line. I hated nuts in brownies. I hated nuts in bread. I hated nuts on muffins. I didn't want nuts in their natural lonely form. NO NUTS. The shocking part...I didn't even want much to do with peanut butter.

Time for some true confessions...
1. I still hate nuts in any baked good. They just ruin things, ok?
2. I didn't eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich until I was 16. (GASP!!)
3. I always thought nuts were too high in calories and fat and it was probably better that I hated them anyways.

Explanation of my true confessions...
1. Self explanatory. They just ruin things, ok? I feel the same way about raisins.
2. I was the girl who took salads in a Tupperware, cut up vegetables, and all sorts of fruit snacks in my lunch, but NEVER a sandwich. Never. I still am not the biggest jam lover, and I didn't used to love honey, so what in the world would I be eating with peanut butter on bread. Luckily...at girls camp one summer we were desperate for food (aka: I was once VERY picky and hated a lot of foods) and a PB&J was my only option. LIFE CHANGING. Don't worry I've made up for lost time...

see...

3. I had the wrong idea about nuts until I had an incredible class in college called Chronic Disease Prevention from Dr. Aldana. Our textbook was his book entitled, The Culprit and the Cure. If you haven't read it, read it. It is amazing, and it will change you view of food in a big way. I learned that nuts are a healthy food that are full of healthy fats and good calories. YES, they require some portion control, but eating nuts is VERY beneficial. Almonds happen to be one of my favorite foods now. I actually purchase them in bulk.

(Yep, I've used this photo before, and yep the bag was opened upside down.)

Almonds have so many health benefits.
- They fight heart disease! The good fats help to decrease the bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol.
- They have antioxidants and all sorts of vitamins and minerals.  The antioxidants are cancer fighting agents, and come in the skin of the almonds.
- They have protein in them! Always a bonus This makes them a great snack to take with you on the go. I ALWAYS have a plastic bag of them in my purse. ALWAYS.

So...include some almonds in your diet! One serving is about an ounce or 24 almonds. The stats for one ounce of almonds is about 163 calories, 14 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbs, 6 grams of fiber, and only 1 gram of sugar! AWESOME. Try to portion out a serving at a time so you don't overdo it, but by all means, eat your almonds!

I love my almonds raw and natural, slivered on salads, and even mixed in with trail mix. I also LOVE cinnamon almonds. THIS recipe is a healthified version that is super delicious.

What is YOUR favorite way to eat almonds? Do you like nuts in your baked goods? You can say yes and we will still be friends. Are you a fan of the ole' PB&J?

Cinnamon Almonds

If there is one reason I love going to football games it is to smell the Cinnamon Almonds. Can you beat that smell? I don't think so. I have wanted to try making them, and being home in mom's kitchen this past weekend was the best place to do it. 

Cinnamon Almonds  
Ingredients
2 cups raw almonds
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup stevia
½ tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 225 degrees. 
Combine egg white and vanilla in a bowl.

 Whisk together.

 Add raw almonds to egg/vanilla mixture, and stir until well coated.

 Add stevia, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in another bowl and stir combine.

 Pour sugar mixture over almonds and stir to coat.

Spread your almonds on a cookie sheet. I would recommend putting them on parchment paper to make your clean up about 500 times easier. Spread them out so they bake evenly. Bake for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Let them cool once they are done baking and enjoy! These are SO tasty, and would make a great holiday gift for parties, neighbors, or just to make your house smell amazing.

These are so incredibly fabulous, you simply MUST try them. They are a great little sweet fix with some nutrition to them.

November 28th: Today I am thankful for fresh starts. I know...I usually hate Monday's, but today it feels good to get back to a better eating routine and into my exercise groove. I hope you take advantage of your Monday :)

One year ago today...Brain Dump for the Snow Dump.



Have you ever made cinnamon almonds? Are you glad to be back to your routine, or are you missing the holiday already?

Healthy Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

I promised I'd post the recipe for the fruit salsa that I made for my friend Roxanne's bridal shower this past week. It was so fresh and delicious, and would be a great, healthy, addition to any party.

The original recipe was from allrecipes.com, but I of course made some changes to health-ify it and make it my own.

Fruit Salsa 

Ingredients:
1 lb diced strawberries
1 small carton of raspberries
2 granny smith apples dices with skin on
2 peaches peeled and diced
1-2 TBS of splenda (You could use honey/agave/stevia here as well)
1 TBS of brown sugar
3 TBS of sugar free fruit preserves (I used raspberry)

Directions:
Dice up all your fruit into small pieces. I diced my apples last and put them in lemon juice for a bit, so they wouldn't go brown once I added them. Add sugar, splenda, and preserves and mix it all together. Chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before serving. I served it with these cinnamon chips, but I think it would be delicious over a fresh winter salad as well!

Cinnamon Chips

Ingredients:
8 large La Tortilla Factory Tortillas 
butter flavored non-stick spray
sugar and cinnamon mixture (you can make this ratio to your liking as far as how much cinnamon and sugar)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350. On a large cookie sheet, spray a whole tortilla on one side with the non-stick spray and then flip it over. Spray the other side and sprinkle as much of the cinnamon and sugar mixture as you'd like. Cut the tortilla into strips, and then triangles with a pizza cutter and arrange on your cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Peachy Keen

Oh hello Utah Peaches.

So glad you've finally arrived.
Thanks mom :). 

Best.
Treat.
Ever. 

Would you like me to ship you some? Sure.

Life is a Journey; A marathon...not a sprint.

So much of what we learn in life is the course of several days, months, and years of trial and error, trying again, and continually pressing forward one foot in front of the other....and in some cases repeating that over and over again until some principles actually stick. As I was working out this morning I was thinking about my journey down the health and fitness road over the course of my lifetime and where it has taken me.

There have been ups and downs.
Trials, and most definite errors.
There have been triumphs and utter failures.
Lessons learned. Lessons forgotten. Lessons relearned...and again...and again.

I grew up dancing. Since I can remember it was straight from school to dance for hours and hours. I loved it. I never even considered it exercise because I was so passionate about it. It was so fun. When I got to high school I tried out to be on our school's competitive dance team and the showcase dance team. I made both and continued dancing for hours and hours a day.

 (Can you spot me? Fourth one from the right, back row.)

Now on top of the hours of practice, the anti was upped. For our competitive team, our training required running. Until that point running had been more of a form of punishment than anything, but I learned to love it. Healthy eating was always a part of my growing up years. My mom is an excellent cook, and was always providing us with extremely healthy food. I was also a definite sweet tooth. I ate my share of sugar, don't worry. However, I was dancing like a fiend, so it didn't effect me much. I did always feel like I was the bigger girl though. My junior year I went to a dietitian who helped me to dial into perfecting my eating and it was an awesome experience. She taught me some great information, and my love for nutrition began. I did an internship with a personal trainer my senior year of high school and got the bug for exercise as well.

Enter Brigham Young University. Megan decides to major in Business Management. Wow...college life is crazy, right? No sleep, eating like garbage, and my dancing slowed down quite a bit. OK...my eating wasn't total garbage and I still was working out probably 5 days a week but my body suffered a total shock. My sophomore year of college I coached and taught dance classes, but sitting in front of a dance class somehow doesn't have the same calorie burn as taking the dance classes. Go figure.

Less activity + more ice cream = weight gain

I hated hearing the term, "freshman 15" and I swore I was not going to fall into that category. However, my calorie expenditure just wasn't what it was previously. You can't fool the body with things like that. So, I totally gained weight. I'd say like 15-20 pounds. Having grown up dancing, I have always been VERY conscious of my body. It is hard to hide anything in a spandex leotard...just saying. I started to hate the way I looked more and more. I think my depleting self-confidence probably showed too. Don't get me wrong, I loved my first two years of college. I had great friends, TONS of fun, and I was happy. BUT...I just wasn't comfortable in my own skin. I lacked confidence. To make matters worse, I had a lot of friends who could eat whatever they wanted and it didn't matter. I haven't ever been one of those lucky ducks. The bottom line is...It is hard to not dislike the way you look when you gain weight that hasn't ever been there before.

My sophomore year of college was about the same. Me still not loving the way I looked. I was still exercising. I've always liked to work out and be active. I even was taking some dance classes. My eating was alright, not horrible. I'm sure now I'd probably gasp at myself though. Lots of cereal...Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches (On whole wheat bread of course.) I found out about chocolate covered cinnamon bears which is danger.com. I know I still retained some good habits, but not anything astounding. I was still coaching a dance team and teaching classes. In fact I was getting up at 4 in the morning some days just to get to practice 45 mins away. (I love it that much...crazy I know.) So, on top of being super busy with school and work. I was exhausted and sleeping...mmm...never. During that year I started working at Nordstrom as well. A friend of mine that worked there with me, started telling me all about the classes she was taking at BYU one day. She listed off classes about body image, weight control, exercise prescriptions, and nutrition. She was an exercise science major and I was JEALOUS. I was still focusing mainly on pre-recs, but her classes sounded a lot more...fun? Was that possible in college? I wanted in. That next week I switched my major:

Exercise Science with an Emphasis in Fitness and Wellness Management. Boom.
Enter the love affair with Megan and anything health/fitness/wellness related. I seriously found my true love.

This same time that I started getting into my health classes I also tried out for a professional dance team and it was back to the spandex. I was less than confident about it. I can tell you that much. I didn't have the same body that I had back in the day. I felt gross. Something needed to change.

I started learning more and more about exercise, nutrition, and resistance training. I wanted to practice what I was learning. I kicked my exercise regimen into gear. I started changing the way I was eating. I started running more. Benita and I decided we wanted to run a half marathon. We signed up for the Salt Lake City Half Marathon and training was a go. I started to drop some of the pounds that had made a home on my mid section, but I still wasn't feeling like I was on top of my game.

My last semester of my senior year I took a class where our textbook was a book called, The Culprit and the Cure. It changed my life. It changed my whole mindset on healthy eating and nutrition. It helped me to realize you really are what you eat. I decided that sugar and I were going to have to break up. I fell in love with a website called fitday.com. I kept up my running. I started lifting weights on a regular basis. I finally started to see some changes.

After graduating I landed a job managing a private gym, (which later merged with Elevate...best thing that ever happened to me) and doing personal training and nutrition counseling as well. I LOVED it. Everything about it. I loved helping people to achieve goals and gain confidence. I was still sugar free, and my eating was pretty dang clean, but I think I was just eating too much. It doesn't matter if you are eating an excess of carrots and broccoli. Excess calories = excess weight. I still didn't I felt comfortable in my own skin. I decided I'd had it. Although I was in great shape, I didn't want to feel like I wasn't living proof of what I was teaching all of my clients. I started doing at least sixty minutes of cardio a day, and I started seeing some more results. Little by little that extra college poundage was coming off.

About a year later I decided I wanted to run a full marathon. Training was rigorous, but awesome. I craved my long runs. I loved feeling like I had just burned a bajillion calories. I felt strong and athletic. I finally started to feel good in my own skin. Not perfect...but milestones of improvement. I was eating good, still no sugar, and cardio was my B. I completed the Salt Lake City Marathon, and crossing that finish line was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had.

After the marathon I decided I needed to change some habits. I realized that my snacking had to go. I am a snacker by nature. It gets me if I am not careful. I started lifting faithfully 3-5 days a week. Again, I finally saw some changes with my body. I did lose my detested college weight, and I have cut down my body fat by over ten percent.
I also have come to the realization that my body is just going to give me a hard time with my weight. For whatever reason, I'm not one of those people who can lose five pounds by looking at some broccoli. In fact I'm pretty sure if I look at a piece of cake I gain five pounds.

Fast forward to this past January.
Still no sugar, aside from a few holiday cheat days.
Still lifting 3-5 days a week.
Still cardio-ing it up 60-90 minutes a day.
Still tracking my food. Unfortunately, I have tracked my food for so long, even if I don't enter it in the computer I track it mentally.
Enter the protein phase of life. You may remember the weight loss challenge at my work. I realized that even with my healthy eating habits I wasn't getting enough protein. I am not a meat eater. It is really hard for me, and so I had to REALLY make an effort to change this. It has helped SO much. It finally helped me see some actual results.

I'll be completely honest with you about a few things. I know that I am in good shape. I have worked really hard at it. I know I have muscle definition. I know that I have made some awesome improvements in my lifestyle, and my knowledge of good nutrition has increased. I have put A LOT of time into trying to figure out what exercises are most effective, and how the body reacts and why it responds the way it does. I have learned a lot, BUT I do still I feel like I have some improvements to make until I feel like I'll be at my prime goal weight for me. I know it is extra hard for me, for whatever reason. I tell my clients it's to keep me humble :) I'm not telling you this to be fishing for compliments, or for a pity party, or even so you'll agree with me that I do have a waze to go. I'm telling you because I want you to understand that I know how hard it can be. I am not just telling you what I think might work for you. I am telling you what I've seen work, what I've felt work, and in doing so I hope you can see some results of your own. I can tell you this much...

- living off of 4 hours of sleep doesn't work.
neither does...
- snacking all day
- having your main sources of food come from Wheat Thins, Dreyers Grand Light Ice Cream, cereal, and Cinnamon Bears

You know what does work?
- interval training and circuits
- being willing to put in some good cardiovascular time. If you really want something you have to work at it. ESPECIALLY when it comes to exercise.
- Food is 80% of the health battle. That is a big percentage. Get your nutrition in gear and you will see results.
- planning your meals out, eating clean, and watching your portions.
- getting rid of grazing and snacking
- eating enough protein, a lot of fresh veggies, good fruits and whole grains. 
- LIFTING WEIGHTS. I can't even tell you the difference this has made in my life. EVERYONE should lift weights. Yes GIRLS, WOMEN. FEMALES. Especially you! I feel like it is my personal mission to make sure you know this.
- Cutting back on your sugar. If you really want to see results, get rid of the sugar.
- finding exercise that you love and making it a lifestyle
to name a few...

Like I said...this life is such a learning process. I am continually learning, but I do feel like I have come SUCH a long way. I hope that in doing so I can help pass some of my knowledge on to you to help you achieve great things...because you are capable of SUCH great things.

What are some things you have learned along the way that have helped increase your health? It is amazing how sometimes it's the little changes we make that make big differences. What are some things you still feel like you can work on?

Sweet Treats and Strawberry Eats

I hope your long weekend was fabulous. Today I have one of my FAVORITE bloggers doing a guest post for me, and I know you'll love it. Kristy's blog is full of so many great recipes it makes me want to get cooking every time I look at it. She is absolutely darling too..FYI. I adore her! Thanks so much for your help today girl!! xoxoxo

Hi! I'm Kristy, from Sweet Treats and More.  I'm happy to be guest posting for Megan while she's off laying on a sunny beach (ok, actually I'm a little jealous!).  You can probably guess that I have a thing for sweet treats, and you might be expecting a super naughty dessert from me (probably something loaded with chocolate and peanut butter) but we know Megan wouldn't allow that;)  So today I'm here to share a healthy(er) cookie with you.  I think you'll love it!

You might find it surprising that I don't just eat brownies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.  Although, sometimes I want to:)   I actually try hard to eat healthy and to make healthy and wholesome meals for my family of three! We I just like to save room for a little dessert.  And, I love to bake.  

But I do really love cookies.  They are one of my favorite things to bake, and eat. A really good cookie is my weakness.  

So it's a good thing these Strawberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies are healthy!  Because they are so. dang. delicious.   I don't waste calories on mediocre cookies, so trust me when I say they're amazing. 

I have made these cookies with half whole wheat flour and half white flour and both ways work well and taste great.  I will say I prefer the half and half option, but if you want to make them even healthier, go the 100 % whole wheat flour route!

At 75 calories a pop, I don't feel so bad enjoying a cookie (or two) after dinner.

Strawberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies

by Sweet Treats and More

Makes 28 cookies 

 

1/3 c butter, room temp

2/3 c brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp almond extract

2/3 c pureed strawberries  (about 6-8 large strawberries, I like to leave it a little chunky)

1/2 c wheat flour

1/2 c white flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

2 c oats

Preheat oven to 375.

1.  In a medium bowl, mix wheat flour, white flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together.  Set aside.

2.  In another bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar until smooth.  Add egg, almond extract, and strawberries and beat until combined. 

3.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, and mix until evenly combined.  Lastly, stir in oats (can use a wooden spoon here if you'd like).  

 

***The dough should be a thicker dough.  If it appears too wet, add a few more tablespoons of wheat or white flour. 

Place rounded spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 8 minutes.  Do not over cook. 

Let cool for a couple of minutes before moving to a cooling rack.  

Thanks for having me Megan!

I heart guiltless chips and salsa. The best snack EVER.

OK, so maybe I'm over exaggerating a little bit. I tend to do that from time to time. BUT, this is seriously so quick, easy, and TASTY. Who doesn't love the endless bowl of chips and salsa? Unfortunately that love can present some problems.

1) Because they usually come either in bag form if you are at home or bowl form if you are at a restaurant there is NO portion control. Everyone tends to underestimate how much they are really eating.

2) They are so good, but they are SO not filling.
3) They aren't your meal. They make makeup the caloric amount of what your meal should be, but they are usually just the appetizer or a snack. You are usually hungry when you eat chips and salsa and you want to just keep eating because you are hungry!
3) They are high in calories. The salsa isn't, but the chips unfortunately are.

 So what's a salsa lovin' snacker to do? 

Let me tell you.

Guiltless Chips and Salsa

1) Get yourself a whole wheat tortilla. I used my favorite La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Whole Wheat Tortilla. I swear they should be paying me in mountains of tortillas for the props I give. You are welcome La Tortilla Factory! Turn your oven on broil. Spray a cookie sheet. Place your tortilla down on the sheet.

 2) use a pizza cutter to cut your tortilla into strips as big or small as you'd like. Spray the tortilla slices with a quick spritz of non-stick cooking spray. This helps them to crisp up.

 3) Stick them in the oven on the top rack until they are nice and crispy. Be careful not to let them burn.

4) Pop them out of the oven and serve along side your favorite salsa.

 

Yep. That just happened. THAT quickly. They taste SO dang good and they are an awesome alternative to fat filled tortilla chips. This entire portion is about 120 calories, 8 grams of protein, and 12 grams of fiber. Hello...amazing. Not only that, this snack is completely portion controlled. My tortilla makes about 24 chips. I PROMISE you will love this. 

As I was eating it I was dreaming about how good it would have been with my healthy black bean salsa. Next time!

Do you love chips and salsa? I don't know how you couldn't. I hope you all have great plans for the weekend! I love Fridays!!

February's Favorite Finds

Let's face it, I love to eat. I am definitely one who has favorites that I just can't do with out. I find delicious things and want to eat them at every meal!!

Here are my favorites as of this month...

1. Santa Barbara Mango Salsa (I get this at Costco)

I could drink this. I put it on salads, in wraps, over eggs, over veggie patties, with chicken...it's basically good on EVERYTHING. It's about 20 calories for two TBS and worth every single bite.

 

2. La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Whole Wheat Tortillas. 

These are amazing. Just look at the stats...80 calories, 8 grams of protein, 12 GRAMS OF FIBER!!! 12! I fill them with turkey, chicken, tuna, eggs, veggie patties, all sorts of veggies, or any thing else you can think of. I even cut them into strips and broil them to eat as tortilla chips. I know some of you have said you haven't been able to find them. They do have them on Amazon, but the shipping costs twice as much as the tortillas. Kinda worth it...I get mine at Costco. One pack of 20 is like 5 bucks.

 

3. Swiss Miss diet hot chocolate. 

I have been loving this stuff all winter. At 25 calories a serving you can't go wrong. They come individually packaged, so you don't have to worry about measuring correctly. 

4. Starkist Chunk Light Tuna in Water individually packaged. 

I can't even believe this made the list...I've changed. I LOVE these single serving packages because it takes out the guess work if you are trying to focus on acquiring a certain amount of calories or grams of protein. One packet has 80 calories and 18 grams of protein. Not too shabby. I mix mine with some fat free miracle whip and put it in a La Tortilla Factory wrap with some spinach.

 5. Extra Dessert Delights Gum. 

I know, I've raved about these before...but it's because they are so good. I think my favorite is the mint chocolate chip. It tastes like ice cream in my mouth. SO good.

 6. Skippy Natural Peanut Butter.

Yum. That is all that needs to be said here. This stuff is T-A-S-T-Y. I love it on toast, in a pb and banana wrap, in my oatmeal, in cookies, or just straight from the finger spoon. It has less sugar that most PB and you don't get that icky oil separation that I hate.

7. Ginormous Costco Bag of pre-cut broccoli florets. 

I go through this in a week. Not kidding. It is amazing how easy it is to eat broccoli when it's already prepped for you. I steam these florets with baby carrots using my easy steam method, and then put them in salads, soups, with chicken, on rice...etc. I LOVE BROCCOLI. Thank you Costco.

8. Fat Free Sugar Free Chocolate Jell-o Pudding mix. 

"You're not Jell-o. You're never gonna be Jell-o."
I LOVE this stuff. I use it in the morning to make my chocolate peanut butter oatmeal. It is so tasty. I love the actual pudding that it makes too. It makes for a great snack, but for now it's all about flavoring the oatmeal.

All of those favorites just made my mouth water...
What are your favorite go to foods? On top of these things I'm obsessed with old fashioned rolled oats, whatever fresh produce I can get my hands on, protein shakes, and grilled chicken. Do you know where that Jell-o quote comes from? Anyone? Anyone? Bueler...?